SAM Magazine-Aspen, Colo., Mar. 20, 2008-Aspen Highlands, Colo., and Cranmore, N.H., have joined the ranks of areas that are extending their seasons. Highlands will run weekends through April 27, providing two "bonus weekends" of operation. Cranmore will operate through April 6, with tubing operations on weekends through April 27. With over 120 ...

SAM Magazine-Taos, N.M., Mar. 20, 2008-Taos Ski Valley opened its slopes to snowboarders yesterday, and thousands of riders turned out to hit the famous slopes and steeps. The end of the snowboard ban at the 53-year-old area leaves just three areas that remain closed to snowboarders: Mad River Glen, Vt., and Deer Valley and Alta, Utah. Sherman P...

SAM Magazine-Vail, Colo., Mar. 18, 2008-The highly competitive Colorado market is known for ultra cheap season passes as giants Intrawest (Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Steamboat) and Vail Resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone) battle for visits. And the battle has escalated once again. Vail Resorts has thrown the latest punc...

SAM Magazine-Denver, Mar. 18, 2008-Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) says that a snowy January and February fueled a 6.7 percent gain in skier visits over the prior season for the period. In total, Colorado resorts racked up an estimated 5,540,464 visits during January and February. The increase puts the state on track to match last winter's record...

SAM Magazine-Bormio, Italy, Mar. 14, 2008-To complete an historic World Cup haul for the U.S., Olympic champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) joined Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH) as a 2008 World Cup champion Friday. This is the first time three American ski racers have won World Cup titles in the same season. The trio ...

SAM Magazine - Golden, B.C., March 10, 2008 - Kicking Horse resort in British Columbia has announced the launch of a new "Big Mountain Centre." Scheduled to open March 22, the Centre is an attempt by the resort to improve and enhance the big-mountain skiing and snowboarding educational experience. With sponsorship from Red Bull, Peak Performance, N...

SAM Magazine-Wolf Creek, Colo., March 14, 2008-Colorado Ski resort Wolf Creek and New England area Loon Mountain have joined Monarch Ski Area in extending their seasons. Others, including Jiminy Peak, Mass., are ready to do the same; for now, though, Jiminy is saying only that it will operate "well into April." The reason for lengthening the sea...

SAM Magazine - Heavenly, Ca., March 14, 2008 - Heavenly Ski Resort has announced the creation of the Heavenly Flyer, the longest zip line in the continental U.S. The year-round ride will propel riders at speeds up to 50 mph and features two separate lines and has a 525 vertical foot drop, matching that of the Space Needle. At 3,300 feet, the Heaven...

SAM Magazine-Princeton, Mass., March 14, 2008-Ski and snowboard equipment demos are regular events at ski areas across the country, but none are like Wachusett Mountain's annual "Ride 'Em & Rank 'Em!" No other equipment preview is available for the general public.   Since its inception six years ago, this consumer demo has given Wachuset...

SAM Magazine-Boise, Idaho, Mar. 14, 2008-Investment bank Credit Suisse is suing Tamarack Resort, claiming the resort has failed to repay $262 million in debt and interest. The company is asking the court to foreclose on the property an award it to Credit Suisse; in anticipation of just such a move, Tamarack filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protectio...

SAM Magazine-Hancock, Mass., Mar. 11, 2008-EOS Ventures, LLC, co-owned by Jiminy Peak CEO Brian Fairbank, is partnering with Sustainable Energy Developments, Inc. (SED), which installed the wind turbine at Jiminy in the summer of 2007, to promote the development of renewable energy.   "More than three years ago, we embarked on a journey and ...

SAM Magazine-Keystone, Colo., Mar. 11, 2008-Keystone Resort has expanded its commitment to the environment by serving sustainable seafood at several of its restaurants. Keystone's move will help support the long-term viability of the ocean and individual marine species; according to a recent United Nations report, nearly 25 percent of the world's s...

SAM Magazine-Bartlett, N.H., Mar. 10, 2008-Peak Resorts is offering a variety of combination passes at its Northeastern resorts for 2008-09, placing them in competition with the Threedom Pass (Waterville Valley, Bretton Woods, and Cranmore) and New England Pass (Sunday River, Sugarloaf, and Loon Mountain). The Nor'easter Pass ($549 to $849, depe...

SAM Magazine-Findley Lake, N.Y., Mar. 10, 2008 -Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa has named Steven R. Lempke president of the resort. Lempke will oversee the entire resort with a strong focus on the customer experience.  "I am pleased that Steve has joined the team at Peek'n Peak," said Paul Kiebler, owner of the resort. "He will be an excellent ...

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., Mar. 10, 2008-Vail Resorts officials blamed dismal early-season conditions for a drop in the company's net income in the fiscal second quarter, which ended Jan. 31. The company reported net income of $51.3 million compared with prior year net income of $53 million. The company's flagship resort, Vail, opened appro...